


Across The Fairy Ring

by haplesshippo



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Mythology - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-25 05:32:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12029208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haplesshippo/pseuds/haplesshippo
Summary: This is a world where fairies dance, sirens sing, and dullahan ride.  This is a school where our classmates have feathers, scales, and fur.  This is a place to learn, to accept, to teach.This is Hogwarts Academy.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Mythological creatures AU.

Cho Chang was born on the eighth day of the eight month after the new lunar year, eight years after her parents immigrated to England, during the year of the goat.  Her parents called her their lucky little yang, their lucky little lamb.  Her scales were a beautiful pale green that shimmered like dewdrops in the morning sunlight.  Her hair was a riotous red, flyaway and silky smooth.  Her horn was a little golden yellow, covered in soft fuzz.  When she arrived in the world bawling, her parents licked her clean and wrapped her in fine silks.

She grew up on stories about Sheng Wukong, the monkey king, and his exploits through the land.  When she was a child, she wanted to fight like Hua Mulan and styled her humanoid appearance after the legend.  When she learned to pluck the guzheng, she sang to the butterfly lovers.  She grew up with a fierce love for her homeland, an everlasting loyalty for her culture and parents, and justice singing in her heart.

Her parents used to joke that when she learned to walk on her own, she would headbutt the wrongdoer in any argument, braying about right and wrong.  They were so proud of their little yang, who had learned to survive in the wilderness of England, who stood up to bullies without a fear in her tiny little soul.

She was brave, strong, and smart.

And then she went to Hogwarts.

As a small child, she had always been alone, driving away sniveling children who did something bad every other day.  Of those she did not scare off, none understood her or her love for stinky tofu.  She never made friends easily.

This did not change at Hogwarts Academy.

Of course, there, feathers and scales and fur and skin abounded.  At least ninety percent of Hogwarts students were not human, and those who were human had at least a drop of blood that was most definitely not human in their ancestry.  Black eyes peered from the shadows, red dripping on the floor, and colorful feathers soared through the halls.  Cho found each individual fascinating, beautiful, worth learning about.

Her headmaster was a Wizard named Albus Dumbledore, born directly from Merlin’s line, and at his side was a brilliant red and yellow bird with tail feathers that trailed the ground like fire.  The bird reminded her of a Fenghuang.  Cho was heartened to find someone familiar in this unfamiliar world.

A small black hat sat on a little stool, and when she strode up to it, hooves clicking on the ground, she heard whispers all around her.

_“What is she?”_

_“Never seen anything so strange.”_

She put the hat over her head.  It dropped over her eyes, although the yellow horn on her forehead prevented it from completely concealing the crowds of curious gazes.

“And what have we here?” a voice asked all around her.  She gasped, automatically intrigued.  Was the hat a living being?  Or had it been enchanted by the Wizard?

“Hello,” she whispered timidly.  She hadn’t seen anyone talk to the hat during the Sorting, and she didn’t want to seem even more out of place than she already did.

“Hello, dear.  What a long way from home you are,” the hat greeted, gently.  “And to answer your question, I am merely an enchantment, created by Merlin hundreds and hundreds of years ago.  You thirst for knowledge, don’t you?”

Cho nodded.  “Everything is so different,” she admitted with a whisper.  “There are no Long, at least, none that my parents taught me about, and there are no Yaoguai.  But there are so many creatures who I have never seen or heard of before.  It’s _fascinating_.”

The hat chuckled.  “Yes, there is much to learn here in the halls of Hogwarts.  There is also much you can offer to your fellow students.  I believe I have decided which house you will belong in.”

“Which?” she asked when it paused for a response.  She twisted her little claws into her clothes, the black standard uniform for all students.

“First, I must warn you.”  The hat twisted on her head a little, as if to peer down into her face.  “Adjusting to this school, to your classmates will not be easy.  You will have expectations about their morality and judgement that will not always be met, and they will not always understand you or your traditions.  I do suggest you keep an open mind and an open heart, and learn to look past the line between black and white.”

The line between black and white?  What did the hat mean?  Was it referring to actual colors, or was it referring to something else?  How could black and white be looked past?

“I will,” she said, not entirely comprehending what she was agreeing to.

The hat made an amused noise and bellowed, “Ravenclaw!”

Cho took the hat off to applause.  She smiled bashfully towards the Ravenclaw table and put the hat on the stool gently.  It was old and worn and wise, and it deserved to be treated with respect.

She sat down between someone who looked like he had seaweed for hair and a girl with a rich fur coat slung across her shoulders.  The next girl who was sorted into Ravenclaw had red, frizzled hair much like Cho’s own, with pale, flawless skin and a wide mouth.

“Hello, my name is Marietta Edgecomb,” she introduced.  Her voice sounded hoarse, but at the same time it was beautiful.  She held out a hand for a handshake, which Cho had learned was customary in England.  Her hand was soft and cold when Cho took it.

“Cho Chang,” Cho replied.  Would Marietta become her first friend?

“Nice to meet you, Cho,” Marietta said, and when she smiled her mouth stretched and stretched and stretched.  “If you don’t mind me asking, what are you?”

Cho grinned back and said, with pride in her voice, “I am a Xiezhi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A xiezhi is a creature in Chinese mythology, often with a horn on its head. It's said to be very justice-oriented. In this world, Cho would grow up to become either a judge, a lawyer, or a Quidditch referee. I began with something I'm kind of familiar with, and I guess I'll slowly make my way towards cultures and myths that I don't know.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have another one.

If one woke up early enough or stayed up late enough at Hogwarts, one could see a little creature, no taller than a meter, wandering to and from the Great Hall.  However, these sights were usually rare, as rare as the Loch Ness appearing in front of Humans or the Selkie setting her coat where it could be stolen.

One would have to lie in wait to see these little creatures, by the fireplace or in the Great Hall, well hidden and silent as a mouse.  The chances of being found by a Professor were much greater than catching even a glimpse of the little creature, so secretive were they, so keen their eyesight and sense of smell.

They were stealthy, almost never seen, never heard.  When the students woke, their fireplace would house a merrily roaring fire.  When they went to sleep, their beds would be made, neatly and prettily.  The food on the tables was always fresh, and juice freshly squeezed and flesh just harvested.

There was once a student who believed herself able to catch one of these creatures.  She had laid in wait, silent as a statue, in a dark corner.  She had waited three nights, and on the fourth, she had finally seen the little creature hobbling across the Great Hall, arms laden with fresh food.

This student was a selfish, foolish little one.  In an attempt to boast to her friends that she had finally found one of the elusive creatures, she had leapt and tried to capture it.  Alas, she had been too late, too hasty, too young, and the creature had escaped.

And she never found her laundry done again, nor did she ever have warm, fresh food on her plate.  Her bed was never made, and the hearth always grew cold as ice when she sat in front of it for warmth.

 _You offended them_ , her friends had whispered to her.  _They do not like to be found._

If one did want to get on their good sides, though, a self-made bowl of porridge and some honey in front of the fireplace would be all it would take to find one’s favorite desserts at the dinner table.  It didn’t matter if the porridge was too soggy, or too salty, or not cooked enough.  The creatures understood the gesture, and if the porridge had been made in good will, they would always accept.  However, they only accepted thanks, and never payment.

In the day, they always disappeared like mist in the sun.  No nook or cranny hid short, curly brown hair, no basement or attic a sign of their hoods. 

The headmaster always took care that no abuse fell upon them.  If the students were particularly rowdy one day, if they had accidentally upturned a dining table or flooded a bathroom, the students responsible were always the ones to clean the mess.  Dumbledore was a wise man, and he understood what it would mean if he took advantage of the creature’s natures.

And sometimes, if one could not sleep, too in love with the night or too frightened to close one’s eyes, there would be the distant, soothing chatter of the creatures babbling to one another, low and indistinct, but comforting all the same.  Although they did not like to be seen, and they did not speak to anyone else, they did not mind being heard, especially for a young, homesick Xiezhi or the weary, tired Dullahan standing watch over the hallways. 

By the end of their first year, all students knew not to leave too big of a mess behind if they could help it, knew to offer warm porridge and honey at least once a month in front of the hearth to the Brownies.  For if they were disrespectful, they would find themselves miserable for the rest of their stay at Hogwarts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brownies are small, hob-like creatures who, as stated in the fic, like porridge and honey but refuse payment. They like doing household chores, mainly at night, and aren't seen or heard. Much like house elves.
> 
> If anyone has any requests, send 'em in. If it's a character-creature fic, it'll be up to what and who you choose if I will write it. I'm thinking of the Patil twins next. Don't know much about Indian mythology/creatures, so I'll have to do some brainstorming.

**Author's Note:**

> Just to stretch my wings a little. I feel like writing, but I don't want to do something heavy, so. Feel free to submit ideas/creatures of your own! I kind of just want to write no-pressure, whenever I feel like it little stories. Kind of like slice of life fics.
> 
> I don't usually reblog, but if you wanna just ask something or chat, just drop by [here](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/haplesshippo)!
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Sincerely,  
> haplesshippo


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